


Chance of a Lifetime

by baeberiibungh



Category: Supernatural
Genre: AU, Adoption, Age Difference, Awesome Characters, Bakery AU, Bobby is cute, But i kinda know where this is going, Differently abled people, F/F, F/M, Fluff, Foster Care, Foster Child Dean, Great Love, Kevara is awesome, LGBTQA, Love, M/M, WIP, great support, i dunno what else to tag more right now, momma's boy Mark, rarepair fic a'course, seriously, will get back to it later, will tag more as chapters progress
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-04-04
Updated: 2015-11-03
Packaged: 2018-03-21 06:08:26
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 7,277
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3680868
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/baeberiibungh/pseuds/baeberiibungh
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rowena Crowley and Josie ‘Abbadon’ Sands are good neighbours. And maybe the chance for something more...</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Stews and Smiles

Rowena stood sideways before the mirror. She hated being old. Sure she followed a very strict regimen of diet and beauty ethics but they will hold on only for so long. She realised that she had taken to make close scrutiny of her own face and body and find everything unsatisfactory to the degree that she did not feel like going out. She was half convinced that people could actually make out her many defects and would call her on it. It was a shuddering idea, and even when she realised that she was just being morbid, the thoughts would not leave.

It is then she would pick up her brush and draw harsh paintings with horrible monsters and creepy fey children who always managed to look like his son Fergus. Oh how he hated that name, repeatedly saying that she named him after fungus. Rowena told him that he was named for a great ancestor. Fergus was not impressed and the day he turned 18 he went ahead and changed his name to Mark. What an unremarkable name the boy choose. Rowena still called him Fergus to his face though to make a point, relenting enough not to do it in front of company.

A loud thud rang through her apartment. Rowena cocked her ears to make out what it was. When ungodly music started pouring from her neighbours’ room, the thin walls hardly helping, she made a mental appointment to take some of her Irish brandy over to Josie. For now, the music was a good choice as she set her brush to paper and drew macabre symbol and weird beasts. Josie must have had a bad day. She is much younger to Rowena’s 55, but she has this old soul and eyes that look even older than Rowena’s own, as if she had seen stuff no one else should.

Josie owns a nice little bakery near the city that made well enough business. It was called ‘Hellishly Good’. They sold freshly brewed coffee, cakes and pies, pies being Dean Smith’s doing, cookies, and confectionaries. They carried nothing brand made and had a loyal clientele who swore by the awesome taste. Rowena had partaken enough from what Abbadon sometimes brings for her and what Fergus used to buy when his crush on Dean Smith was at its height. 

Rowena thought that he had dodged a bullet when he gave up on Dean. But then he introduced his boyfriend Bobby who was incidentally Dean’s cousin, who always wore a filthy cap and didn’t talk much. Rowena had been appalled. Realising her mistake, she had tried to redirect Fergus back into Dean’s arms, but Dean himself got a new boyfriend, an oddball named Castiel Collins who worked at the same bakery. However over the years, Rowena had to admit that Bobby was good for Fergus and truly loved each other, and while she was okay being a snob, she was always on the side of love.

Two hours later, after the music had died down, Rowena headed to Josie’s apartment, s steaming bowl of stew in her hand and a small bottle of whiskey held under her arms and knocked on her door. Josie opened her door after a few second and when she saw the bowl presumably filled with food and the glint of a bottle under it, she stepped to the side and let Rowena in.

“Bad day, love?”

“Yeah... We had an accident. Garth, this gangly kid who Dean vouched for, set half of the kitchen on fire. He was of course banned from ever entering the premises. I had a mind to fire Dean as well, but then the guys from the fire brigade, let me know that it was damn lucky that it the kitchen caught fire. There were exposed wires all around from the shop near us and anyone could have been electrocuted. I have insurance, but the shop has to be closed for a week or so,” said Josie with a tired look on her face. 

Rowena was back from her kitchen with a spoon and handed the bowl to her. Muttering a slight ‘thanks’ Josie sipped at the thick broth and hummed in appreciation. 

“This is really tasty Rowena. Maybe you should come and wave your magic on my shop as well. I am sure people will love your food,” said Josie in between bites.

“No way love, I have had enough of cooking for hordes. But I can give you some recipes you can try. I am too old for all that hustle and bustle of a shop,” said Rowena with a slight smile.

“Oh please, you are not old at all. What are you? Like 45? Big deal. I am 33. Old is 90 or 100 for us,” Josie said with a serious look on her face as she waver her spoon at Rowena.

Rowena felt a secret thrill at the mistaken age and decided not to correct Josie. Hardly seemed to matter. Maybe she will in fact go out today and get some new dresses. Inheriting money late in life certainly had its perks. She said, “You enjoy your stew love, I will let myself out. I have some shopping to do. See you tonight for our movie marathon yes?”

“Yes yes absolutely. I even bought the wine you like to sip along. Wear something sexy hey?” Josie laughed at her with a cheeky smile. 

“Maybe I will,” Rowena winked at her and closed the door after her. Josie stared after her and wondered how it would feel like to taste those age darkened lips, and then shook her head. Rowena does not think of her like that. Maybe a younger sister. Still she couldn’t stop from flirting with her a bit and hoping that she flirts back. Rowena always did and Josie would feel warm later remembering that she did. After she was done with the stew, she put it in her sink and fell on the bed to sleep for a bit. If she dreamed of kissing Rowena breathless, no one had to know.


	2. Lunch and Flowers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bobby comes to lunch with Mark and Rowena....

Rowena Came out of the shower, with only a towel on when Mark came into her room.

“Oh for god’s sake, mother! You know I am here, why would you walk around naked.”

“Oh Fergus, as if you haven’t seen anything already. You came out of me, remember?”

“I thankfully don’t remember and I do not need any reminders from you to remember!”

“Oh hush child. Let your mother be.”

With a frustrated look directed at the ceiling Mark gave a huge sigh. Then clearing his throat, he said, “Bobby is coming over for lunch remember, so please for god’s sake, or maybe Satan’s sake as you are quite the witch, do not embarrass me or try to intimidate him. He is my boyfriend and I do not like that.”

“Ah Fergus, you have so many things to learn now. (“Enough with the Fergus shit mother!” Mark screeches) One of the many lessons is that you do not insult your mother just before she is to have lunch with your boyfriend,” says Rowena with a dark smirk in her face.

Mark facepalms himself and mutters as lowly as he can, “Please mother, I, just.... Please, for my sake.”

Rowena takes pity on her poor boy and decides to be more pleasant at lunch, but she doesn’t need to let Mark (Fergus, girl, you named him Fergus, don’t give in yet) know that yet.

An hour later, when the table has been set and delicious soup and crunchy salad and delectable meats and crackling bread had been spread around and held in preparation in the kitchen, the door bell went on. Fergus no longer lived with Rowena, but came over for a lunch and a dinner each week. This one was momentous as he had called Bobby over for lunch with his mother and thus officiated his affections for the slightly older man as best as he could. 

When Mark opened the door, he had to hide his smile looking at a very sweaty Bobby, who was donning a suit of all things and a bouquet of flowers clutched in his hands. He had even forgone his trusty cap, instead opting for combing his hair and making himself look very presentable. Mark leaned in and gave him a small kiss near his lips and he actually felt Bobby go a few degrees loose under his hand. Wow, he was wound up tight. Mark pulled him in by his lapel and tried to take him to the dining room immediately. Rowena however had other plans as she had situated herself at the rather throne like chair in the living room and was sipping at a glass goblet of wine while she stared at the boys.

Mark gave a curse that hopefully did not reach his mother’s ears, for he was heeding to the advice she had given just an hour ago. Bobby was getting tense again, so Mark changed his direction and took him to his mother. Standing before her, He said, “Mother, this is Robert Singer, and Bobby this is my mother Rowena.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you Mrs. Crowley. I have heard a lot about you from Mark,” said Bobby in a pleasant enough voice that hardly shook but amused Rowena to no end.

“Aye, I am sure you have. Those flowers are for me or for my son Bobby?”

“Oh, ah, these, these are for you, Mrs. Crowley,” Bobby said with an audible gulp.

“Call me Rowena, dear. Mrs. Crowley is my dear departed mother – in – law. These are beautiful. I already did know you have good choice is my son is anything to go by. Now, I hope you like spicy food. I made loads,” said Rowena as she gathered the bouquet to her chest and led them to the dining room. She did not miss the panicked look Bobby sent at Fergus or the supportive smile Fergus send back.

Rowena couldn’t help let out a silent giggle. This was turning out to be great fun. She will have to tell Josie later everything. Better not pull the punches too much for now. With that she had them sit at the table and continued to indulge herself by making Bobby sputtering his answers and teasing Fergus to his face. All in all, this turned out to a great lunch. Unbeknownst to the boys, Rowena also admitted to herself that the Roberts boy was quite ok. He was not overtly affectionate, but every time he directed his eyes to Fergus, it was always accompanied by a fond smile. Her son could have done so much worse, such as that Dean Smith.

That is of course before she came to know that Bobby was a distant cousin of Dean and very fond of him and his sister. In fact it had been Dean who had introduced Fergus to Bobby. Oooh, though Rowena, another strike against that jerk. However, talking with Bobby mollified her a bit and she actually wound up having a nice enough conversation. Bobby asked her about her painting and admitted that his own late mother Karen, whom he talked about reverently, used to sketch herself. Rowena, in spite of herself, found that she liked the boy. Maybe she did not need to kill Dean Smith yet.

Later that night, when Josie had come over for dinner with leftovers from lunch, (she hadn’t been joking, she really had made lots) Rowena had regaled her with the lunch and Bobby and Fergus and how the two stupid boys were so much love in each other it was kind of almost sweet and sickening. He pantomimed Bobby’s answers and Fergus’s eye rolls and Josie in turn retold some of her older stories about Dean, who had been working at her bakery for three years now and how he had calmed very much down after meeting Castiel. 

And later, when the plates had been cleared away and washed and dried by both, Josie asked her seriously what she thought of Bobby and Rowena, unable to refuse told her that she was glad that Fergus found Bobby and she couldn’t be happier. Josie smiled at her then, obviously glad at the fact that she was happy and had brushed her hand on her shoulder in affection. That night when Rowena went off to sleep she could still feel the warmth of Josie’s hands on her arms later.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just to make it clear, Mark is 19 in this fic, Bobby is 23, Dean is 18 soon to be 19 and Cas is actually 22. And as you may have noticed I m not good with chapter names or summaries. Unbetaed. Tell me what you think, thanks. Kudos and comments are much appreciated. My tumblr is evermoringlyfine.


	3. Coffee and Cakes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rowena wanted something sweet and got something sweeter...

It was just after lunch when Rowena decided to go by Josie’s. She had been saying about these new items she had created and her regulars were raving. She admitted that she was afraid that Castiel would soon fall into a diabetic coma as he had been eating the fare, paying for every bite of course, because he is stressed over Dean or something Dean did. It was difficult to keep an accurate track over the shit Dean did, more so as he never quite messed up his work, just his life.

So Rowena, in one of her ankle length dresses that hugged her lithe body, and made Mark scowl when people wolfwhistled at her, stepped out of her building. The added bonus of meeting Josie made her steps lighter and smile better. The smile went out of sight when she saw it was Dean Winchester manning the booth. Everyone must be inside, and just after the lunch rush, the bakery was empty.

Rowena sauntered up to Dean and drawled, “Smith.”

“O hey, look it’s the wicked witch of the west,” Dean replied in a similarly tone that said he just couldn’t be bothered. It was this, one of the many ‘this’ that Rowena found reprehensible about Dean. Rowena knew that Mark (Fergus Goddamnit!) had a crush on Dean, a big one, and what many people don’t know is that Dean made use of her boy then. Oh the poor sap may have forgiven and forgotten that mess because of Bobby, but Rowena found that fact that Dean never got his a personal matter of revenge yet to be.

“Where is Josie, boy?” Rowena asked as snootily as she could.

“Why do you wanna know? Got a date with her huh?” Dean asked with a halfhearted leer.

“No business of yours, certainly. How is your date by the way, Castile his name was I think,” Rowena asked with a delicate hum that conveyed her hate somewhat eloquently.

Dean stiffened immediately and he looked panicked for a moment, then very depressed the next and then angry as he jerked himself to the side and asked in a normal tone, “What can I get you?”

Rowena registered the reactions as well as the fact that Dean actually had bags under his eyes and his body was giving off this half whiff of desperation and desolation. Deciding not to say anymore, Rowena ordered half a dozen rose cupcakes to take and a Danish pastry to have with black coffee. She handed over the money when Dean told her the price and pointed his head towards the seats dotting the small bakery. There were no booths or tables, just small chairs and a slab that ran around the whole shop, where people could keep their things or plates and sip or eat while standing or sitting.

Rowena headed to her favourite chair, which was pink velvet and had black strips of leather on the seat and looked at the people who were walking outside the bakery. Situated some distance away from the city, the bakery managed to pull in an eclectic crowd of people. There were students and married couples and parents with children and many more. Josie similarly provided varied experiences for her customers by asking dessert recipes from them and trying to make them in her bakery, most times with great success.

She was distracted from people watching when Dean came over to give her her Danish pastry and coffee. She looked at Dean again and saw how depressed he looked. Huh. Trouble in paradise then. Well, if she were a good person she would have offered to make him a small love potion, a few tips she had learned from her bruja great-grandmother. Her potions and tonics were the best. But she was not that good of a person so she didn’t offer. However, the thing was, no matter how much she hated people, when it came to the matters of love and heart she couldn’t help but help.

She fell in love at a very young age, and ran away from home to be with her lover. It was years later when she realised how much lucky she got. They got married, had Fergus and then he passed away due to chronic liver failure. He didn’t drink that much so it was a shock to the whole family. It took Rowena quite a time to get over it. Still, she always remembered her love and even when she realised that she was attracted to people irrespective of form, love in any of its forms remained as one of Rowena’s favourite thing in life.

Hmmm. Maybe she will ask Fergus for details later. So long as she can convince him that she was not going to put a curse on Dean Winchester. The pastry was delicious, the coffee thick and bitter, and just as she was biting the end pieces of the pastry, Josie appeared as if from heaven itself and hugged her. Rowena liked Josie’s hugs, they were firm and she got to smell Josie’s sweet aroma. Her smile always went wider at this point.

“So, what is the verdict, tell me?” Josie asked with a grin on her face.

“Oh I haven’t had the cupcakes yet, I will have them at home, gorging on them alone ha ha,” Rowena laughed in delight.

“Ah, hoarding, I see. Or maybe you will share them with Mark?” Josie asks.

“Nay, none for him. If he wants he should get some himself,” Rowena answers.

“Fine then. I know you have taken some, but at least have one on the house here. I really want to know what you think. I kind of put in a few ingredients inspired by you,” Josie admitted finally.

“Ah, if you insist love. I can’t say no to you or your sweetness.”

“Awright, one rose cupcake coming up!” Josie said and went towards the booth. Rowena looked on indulgently while Josie said something to Dean who was still manning the till and thump his shoulder once before heading inside for a plate and fork.

Josie came out holding a cupcake that had frosting that looked like a live rose on top and placed it before Rowena. Before she could take up the fork, Josie, broke off a side with the fork and waved it before her mouth. How could Rowena say no, so she opened her mouth and Josie lightly let her eat off the piece from the fork. It was delicious and Rowena’s eyes almost rolled in over her moan. 

“O My Lord love, this is delicious. Here, you have a bite too,” saying which she put a piece in Josie’s mouth. They talked a bit, laughed a bit more and when they were done, Rowena used her thumb to rub away a few crumbs clinging to Josie’s lips. Josie blushed prettily at that and took her plates away when Rowena stood up to leave. Rowena couldn’t help thinking that she wished she was allowed to put her lips where she put her finger. Maybe someday, she mused and with a light wave at Dean who looked confused at her happy look directed at him, she stepped out of the bakery. The day had gone from her planned sweet to sweeter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave your comments and kudos, it means a lot, thanks


	4. Time For A Date

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rowena has the worst day ever and goes to see Josie play with her band...

Rowena let her purse down with a big sigh. It had been a hectic and a fucking difficult day. She had to go to the bank for some paperwork but that had escalated to a huge mess and only incompetent people seemed to be working at the branch today. Then she had gone shopping for some simple clothes, and the salesperson had been needlessly snide. True she did not let it go and by the time she was done, the other person was in tears. 

Rowena did not like being mean, not really, but people require someone to be mean to be them every now and then. That is the way to build character. Fergus of course calls her a psycho, but what would the child know of the ways of the world. And how difficult it can be and carries the possibility for even worse for a single woman with a child to support. While she had the money to skate by, Rowena was sure that even without it she would have been equally tough, not less.

Then she had a late lunch and horrors of horror, there had been a hair in her soup. It was not a dinghy corner diner, frequented by the least fortunate and where food was traded with favours rather than money, no, it was a good restaurant, honestly one of her favourite and they had to fuck up on this day. Rowena was not a germphobic, but hair in food was the ultimate betrayal. She reasoned that while it was easy to loss hair, the rate usually something from 30-50 hairs a day for normal hair, but for a hair to fall into her soup at a place like that, the person who ladled it up must have been losing quite more than that, and what pray tell reduced a person to lose so much hair so quickly? Radiation of course.

It was merely a pet peeve, and Rowena was intelligent enough to understand that such a possibility was bordering on hilarious, but was an idea that would not leave her alone. And to have it happen today was very bad timing. After threatening to sue the restaurant, she had tried to walk home so that she might walk off her anger. That is when the cherry on the top had landed. While she was cutting through an alleyway, that was thankfully not that dark, her heel had broken off and she had stumbled and fell. She skinned her knees, dirtied her dress and broke a nail. It enraged her very much suddenly that she fall like an unattended child at her age.

So she had slipped out of her shoes, hailed a taxi as soon as she was out of the alley and had headed home, which is when she realised that her purse was left behind in the alley when she fell. She had the taxi come back, look for her purse and found it after 15 minutes of searching through garbage and then she was finally home. It had been an awful awful day for her, and she couldn’t help hoping that it would pass over soon.

After taking a long hot shower, when she was feeling marginally better, she padded into her room wearing her fluffiest bathrobe. And that is when she saw, and hasn’t this been just the day for delayed actions and missed connections, the small invite that Rosie had given her to come to a club nearby where Josie and her band the Knights of Hell were to perform. There were five people in the band and everyone had taken on the name of one of the biblical Knights of Hell. Josie herself was Abbadon, and Rowena always thought the name aptly fitting of the young girl. 

Tired after the long day she had, she heavily debated whether to go or not. The matter got decided for her when her doorbell chimed. It was Fergus at the door. Come to collect his mother for the band show. Rowena immediately knew that he was up to something as he mostly sought to limit the interactions he had with his mother to a minimum as much as he could. This offer to give a lift there and back meant something. But given the day she had, she thought that she could use the support, as ‘faux’ as it might be. 

So donning one of her simple dresses, for she was in such a mood, she went to get in Fergus’s car, when she saw that Bobby was already in. Ah. So this was supposed to be the ‘interaction in public’ thing now yes? While Rowena was not even slightest in the mood to make small talk or socialise really, she supposed it could stand as another test for Bobby – how well can he handle her when she is not her charming best. This should be a good study in hilarity or dignity.

The club was a good one, the crowd a jolly one, with some rough looking people standing in clumps throughout. Rowena felt that there should be not too much problem given the setting and the two youngsters sitting by her, Bobby trying to be more vocal and courteous with a martyr look on his face. Hmmm, Fergus hasn’t been able to control him perfectly yet. Then the lights dimmed further and Bobby went silent. The emcee came out and welcomed the Knights of Hell. The crowd cheered good-naturedly. Josie and her bandmates came out, she in a cute little black top that read ‘The devil made me do it’. Rowena smiled for the first time that day on seeing her.

The music was a blend of rock and metal with some weird synth pop inbetween, but it was evident that the people were enjoying it. They played about three or four songs after which they took fan request. By the time the Knights stepped down, Rowena was feeling very relaxed. Suddenly Dean’s name fell on her ears. She leaned nonchalantly towards Bobby who was telling Fergus about the huge fight that Dean and Cas got into. Apparently, Dean made plans to hook up with an ex of his, Lisa, but did not go through with it, but Cas found out. So Dean is all ‘it’s not my fault, I didn’t do it, you cant hold it against me’ and Cas is ‘but you did plan it which means you wanted to cheat’.

Huh. Dean Smith the cheater. Not that Rowena is surprised. He had the look and the useless brain to do something like that. Serves him right that Cas found out. Should teach him a lesson on trust issues, and how not to use people. She was smiling rather broadly when Josie came up to them so that it took her some time to realise that she was holding the hand of a red headed girl and pulling her along. She pecked her cheek once and came to say hello to everyone. 

Later Rowena had no idea how she smiled back and made small talk. She left quickly after Josie admitted to having a date later. She snapped at both Fergus and Bobby so much on the way back that they were very subdued by the time they drove away. As she drank a tumbler of whiskey she couldn’t help fuming at the worst day of her life in ever.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I said date, there was a date, never said it was a date between Rowena and Josie. Hope you guys enjoy.


	5. Babysitting is not easy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rowena counsels the warring couple (the couple is Dean and Cas)...

Not in a million years could Rowena come up with a logical reason as to why she was doing what she was doing. She could do such a thing only for Fergus, her one and only hello into the future, as Mark repeatedly reminded her while he pleaded with her. Any other time she might have said no even if asked for the umpteenth time, but ever since Rosie’s date, she has been feeling uncharacteristically melancholic. So when Fergus had come to her, Bobby standing a respectable distance away, and asked her to intervene between Dean and Cas, She had agreed. 

Given what she knows of the matter and of Dean himself, it might just give her the chance to roll him over a few times in the mud for her pleasure. And hey, if that helps, good for him. Not to mention she does enjoy the Smith wit every now and then. So she had regally accepted, and it had pleased her immensely that while Fergus had been very glad vocally, Bobby had been equally silent and kept giving her worried little looks as if he was not quite that right with the whole plan. Good instincts, that one. She is liking that one more and more.

So that night, Fergus had pulled in the reluctant couple, the stony faced Dean Smith who kept twitching as if he couldn’t wait to get away and the very calm Castiel Collins who looked as if he carried the burden of the heavens on his shoulder. Rowena thought that Fergus would remain, for he had been so adamant at her helping them, citing that neither had a parental figure and both needed some solid piece of advice. But she saw Bobby curl his hand around Fergus’s fist and tug him a bit and he had trilled away shouting about privacy for the couple and a date of his own.

Rowena finds herself liking Bobby very much.

She sits back in the throne like chair and watches the two. Castiel is sitting ramrod straight and absolutely still, so much so that if her were not periodically blinking his eyes, and that too much longer than a normal human, she could almost mistake him for a statue. Dean was fidgeting, sitting back and then slipping to the front, hands between his knees elbows on his thighs, then on the back of the sofa both were sharing. Castiel was not looking at Dean but Dean’s eyes kept sliding towards him every now and then, too short for there to be any conscious effort behind them. 

“So boys, what seems to be the problem? Tell Auntie Rowena here and she will open your hearts well and wide.”

Dean opens his mouth to perhaps insist that there is no problem, given his scowl and defensive posture, but before he can utter one word, Castiel cuts through him to say, “I believe we are on the verge of breaking up out romantic relationship.”

Dean looks absolutely gobsmacked at that, mouth hanging open and his eyes the size of big grapes. Rowena snorts before passing if off as a cough. Dean does not even look at her. He is still looking at Castiel, his face filling up with a hurt that Rowena would have relished with delight if she still hated him as much as she used to. It was too genuine to make fun of that way. Which is weird given how Dean did not seem all that interested in continuing his relationship if he was going around trying to cheat on his guy. Perhaps he did not think that Castiel would ever take that step.

“You want to break off with me?” asks Dean in a small voice, his eyes dull and body defeated.

A mingled look of hurt and anger passes Castiel’s face at this. “No, I do want to break up with you, but that seem to be what you are pushing for. And rather that we break up now than linger on like some diseased stumps. If it will not work no matter how much I try, I am not obligated to kill myself trying.”

“Cas, I didn’t meant it, I swear. I just, I just wanted to test, I ... I ... Cas please don’t leave me,” Dean breathes the last word out on a strangled breath, his eyes suddenly teary and shimmering. 

Something in Castiel snaps, perhaps the excuse that Dean is giving the pushing event, and suddenly he is standing, looming over Dean and extremely furious. “Test!? Test!? What the fuck? What test? Test for whom? Me or you? You know, you know what my feelings are on cheating, what I have explicitly told you about it, you know, and then you go off and cheat on me so blatantly, I mean I know you wanted me to find that note, you never leave anything in your pants when you give clothes to wash, so you knew, and still you went on with it. Still, Dean!”

Castiel gulps in a big breath then; his face scrunched up in abject misery and says, “I understand, I always understand, how you feel how the tiny things play out in your head where you keep fighting yourself to not fight me, when John’s voice gets too loud and big and you close off and I understand, I do. But. You can’t keep on testing my love for you like this Dean. You just can’t. You can’t try to find my limit when it comes to you. Don’t keep on forcing me to fight you. I can’t bear it. I can’t...”

A hand comes onto his shoulder, and Castiel realises that he is sitting on the floor, basically babbling and weeping onto his arms, and Rowena has a glass of water in her hand held towards him. He tries to control his ugly crying and say thanks to her, but only a weird croak comes out. And more tears. Rowena, who is bending from her knees over Castiel, starts petting his head. It is not pervasive and is very slight and Castiel can’t help but lean on it. He is suddenly reminded of his mother. He drops his head and tears up a bit more. 

Rowena is looking at Dean. He had this utterly aghast look on his face, as if he just became aware of what he was about to lose because of his own foolishness. Tears are flowing freely on his face too. While Rowena looks on, Dean slips from the sofa onto his knees and shuffles towards Castiel. He is sitting on his haunches, his head in his hands, face glistening with tears shed and unshed. Dean tentatively places his hand on Castiel’s shoulder and pulls him a bit. Castiel gives out a shuddering breath and turns towards Dean, his face still down.

Rowena steps back and sits on her chair again. The idiots. The absolute idiots. 

Dean hooks Castiel’s chin and pulls it up to meet his eyes. Castiel complies, his look resigned and sadness emanating from his whole body even now. “I am sorry Cas. So, so, so sorry. Never again. On my mother’s grave. I swear. I... Please forgive me. Please babe. I can’t live without you I can’t please don’t leave me Cas please...”

And then both are hugging the other fiercely, their lower body parts placed awkwardly on Rowena’s carpet. They sway a bit then and Rowena gets up to brew some of her special tea. She can still hear some ‘sorry’ and ‘please’ and even a ‘love you’ through the door. Well. That certainly turned out well she thinks. Which is when she hears kissing sounds, and decides that she will not let the young uns make love in her presence, thank you very much. So making much more noise than before, she flows into the drawing room and thunks the tray with the tea on it loudly.

The boys, wrapped around each other like a pair of octopuses, stop kissing but don’t move away, but blink up to her, as if they had even forgotten she was there. Which seems more accurate. 

“Now that ye lads busted your bee bonnets over your love matters, I believe that the matter has been resolved somewhat yes?”

Castiel peers at Dean before saying, “No not resolved but we now know where to start I guess. Thank you Mrs Crowley. I.. Thank you.”

“The name is Rowena dearie. Now run along to your home and make up some more and if I ever hear you do anything like this again Dean, I will hex you, be sure of that boy. Now off you go wee birdies.”

Dean and Cas thank her profusely and stumble out of her apartment, not letting go of each other. Castiel solemnly promises to make her free coffee and Dean says that she won’t have to pay for her pastries for the next month. Rowena does not plan on making use of the boys this way, but says yes. And when they leave, her heart catches as she sees Josie. She had seen Cas and Dean come out from her apartment and rises her brows at Rowena, her arms full of groceries. Rowena sends her a soft smile and closes the door, catching the frown that Josie sends her way when she does not go to her as is customary. Ah, thinks Rowena, I still need some time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> unbetaed. I really hope you guys are enjoying this and if you are please do tell me. I dont get enough comments on my stuff.


	6. Kev's Day

It takes Rowena near about a month to get over it, but giving into the allure of Josie and her pastries and sweets is almost like the natural order of things. So there she is, sitting in her corner, drinking the free coffee and eating the decadent pastry that Dean oh so generously provided, when the Trans stops by. Linda is a high power attorney, who has taken many powerful cases and had won every time. Her daughter Kevara Tran, paralysed from her hip down after an accident, can operate her fully mechanical wheelchair with ease and does it very prettily.

Kevara used to be Kevin, when she did not understand completely, but now, as dimple cheeked Kevara, or Kev as she preferred to be called, was a happy undergraduate at the community college nearby where she attended as a day student. She had wanted to go for one of the bigger ones, but Linda is too much protective. Not to mention that most people here know that even if one person tries to hurt Kevara, she will rip them an expensive hole in their bank accounts. 

Linda is a good friend of Rowena, and Kevara has always been a dear to her. She had taken over many nights at the hospital in spite of the dark circles and the achy back she wound up with when Kevara was admitted in the hospital for quite a long time following the accident. Linda had been really appreciative of the gesture and is the one that Rowena goes to in case of any legal matters that need to be checked or tackled. Dean flirted with Kevara too, the same he did when she was Kevin. Kevara would blush prettily, try to punch his stomach and mouth off to him. 

However as big a crush she had on Dean, she seemed to have a more massive one on Castiel. Castiel didn’t tease her or anything, but always said hi to her whenever she came in. The one time one of their regular patrons had made some offensive remark about the girl in the wheelchair, and Castiel and very calmly and forcefully sent the man scampering before his fury. Rowena was yet to see the man in the shop again, but she doubted he would ever dare to come back. Kevara perhaps told Linda for when the man tried to sue Castiel as well as the shop, Linda made sure that he ended up paying a huge settlement to keep his name out of the papers by the time she was done.

So it was no wonder really that Kevara had such a huge crush on Castiel. Castiel never encouraged it though and from the looks of things as far as Rowena could see, the pair was back in tract. Dean still flirted, but kept it insanely harmless. In face he didn’t mouth off too much at all. Rowena almost felt a bit lost without his banal snarl to liven up her day. 

That is when Sam stepped in. He was dating Dean’s step sister Jessica, a wonderful child, smart and having no patience for fools or foolish games. Dean had been taken in as a foster kid by the Smiths, but then he became close to Jess, adamant almost in his zeal to keep her safe and the Smiths too had been glad of how well he fit into the family, so one day Mr Smith had gone out and got him officially adopted into the Smiths. They loved Dean like their own son and the presence of Jessica made sure that Dean did not go out and create too much havoc, for he had his kid sister to look after. 

No one knew where Dean’s parents were. Fergus used to talk about a baby brother Dean used to have but now had no idea as to his whereabouts. So when Jessica started dating Sam, her classmate in high school, Dean found in him the brother he thought he had lost forever. It became such that sometimes Jessica would pout and complain how it seemed as if Sam was Dean’s brother and dating Jessica the girl rather than the other way around. But she said all of this without malice and in fact liked that Dean and Sam got along so fine. 

All of these information had been given by Fergus of course, during one of his ramblings while he was distracted. He had an almost encyclopaedic and embarrassing knowledge about Dean in spite of dating his cousin now and the fact that Bobby was his cousin did not help matter that either. But given how happy the couple was with each other at the moment, Rowena could stand not to care too deeply about it now. 

While Rowena sat sipping her coffee, Linda and Kevara came over and both talked with her a bit while they waited for their orders to be filled. When Dean gave the call for their stuff, both Linda got up and said bye to Rowena while Kevara gave her a half hug from her seat. Rowena gave her one in return and told her to visit her home as she had a present for the girl. Kevara immediately perked up for Rowena always had the best gifts. In fact her first lipstick and make up case had been a gift from Rowena when her mother did not know yet. She gave a happy kiss to Rowena’s cheek and left with her mother.

While Rowena sipped the last of her coffee, Josie came in, carrying a large carton of something. Seeing her Dean came over the counter to help her and when she handed him the carton, she saw Rowena. She looked a bit taken aback to see her back at her booth, but then she gave a big smile and went to Rowena.  
“I see you are back and not avoiding me,” she said, with a hesitant quality to her voice.

“Oh dear, I wasn’t avoiding you. I was avoiding myself. No no, it is nothing, you don’t have to worry. Let me just look at you. Hmmm. You have lost a bit of weight there dear, are you eating alright? Should I bring over something tonight for supper? We could share?” said Rowena while she clasped one of Josie’s hand.

Josie gave a relieved laugh and said, “Well if you are offering food again, then I guess you are well and good. And yes I would love to have dinner with you. Great is out of town so we should definitely do that,” in a warm voice.

Rowena did not have to ask who Greta was. It was the red headed girlfriend. But she was an adult and she could be a good adult and she liked Josie too much to give up the friendship between them. So she said ‘yes of course’, mentally planned what to make and what to buy for the meal and called Dean over for another cup of coffee while Josie went inside the shop.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Somebody fucking stop me just stop me. Unbetaed. Thanks for reading and leaving kudos and comments and reading. evermoringlyfine at tumblr.

**Author's Note:**

> As I mentioned in the tags, this is a WIP. But I do have a idea as to where this is going. This will be my second attempt at writing something long. Hope you guys like it. Please leave comments and kudos thanks.


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